


Day 8: Free Day

by GemmaRose



Series: VLD Whump Week [8]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, Mind Control, Sniper Lance (Voltron), Snipers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-20
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-12-17 17:22:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11856183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GemmaRose/pseuds/GemmaRose
Summary: Why fight your enemies directly when you can make them fight each other instead?





	Day 8: Free Day

Lance exhaled as he pulled the trigger, dropping another sentry on the narrow walkway. It tipped from the force of the bolt hitting its head, this planet’s super-thin atmosphere providing nowhere near enough air resistance to keep it upright, and toppled over the edge through the gap in the railing, erasing the evidence. Much as he loved getting to snipe robots and keep his team around the corner from being discovered, it was kinda boring. He hummed to himself, since his helmet was set to zero atmosphere mode with the soundproofing setting turned on, and waited for the next sentry to come into view.

Two more sentries came into view and fell to his bayard, and he let himself fall into an almost trance-like state as he waited for the main doors to open. A strange warmth bloomed between his shoulder blades, unfurling to fill him from head to toe, weighing down his limbs and filling his head with a soft, soothing purr. It was a bit like what he thought Blue would sound like, if she was a normal cat. He sighted down his rifle towards the door, falling perfectly still as he watched the seam where they met.

Something shifted in his peripheral vision, and he tried to turn his head to look but it wouldn’t move. The purring in his head grew louder, and a voice spoke in a language he didn’t recognize but still somehow understood. ‘ _Be calm. Be still._ ’

Lance drew a deep breath, compelled despite himself to trust the strange voice, and the purr lowered to a more normal level. ‘ _Good little Blue._ ’ the voice practically purred itself, and Lance felt something glow in his chest at the praise. ‘ _Your targets are coming through that door. Time to prove your prowess, sniper._ ’

His eyes refocused, and he found himself able to move again. A figure clad in black and white ran through the doors, three more hot on his heels, and that warmth in Lance’s chest went icy cold. He tried to open his mouth, tried to protest, but his jaw wouldn’t move. His bayard shifted in his hands, training on Shiro’s helmet, and his finger flexed on the trigger. They were talking, Shiro clapping each of them on the back in turn. His sights followed the Black Paladin, the purr loudening in his head with very second until he could barely hear himself think.

‘ _Fire._ ’ the voice commanded, and Lance felt his finger tightening.

“No.” he whimpered, barely a breath, and Shiro turned to look at him. His eyes widened, his mouth opened, and then he fell. The others leapt into action, Hunk taking position over Shiro and Pidge with a shield to block Lance’s second shot.

‘ _The red one._ ’ the voice commanded, and Lance turned his head to see Keith flying up from the side with his jetpack. His bayard shifted as he lifted it, becoming its usual rifle, and a strangled cry left his lips as a bolt of blue light left the barrel. It caught Keith on the leg, ripping through his suit, and he began to spin as he started venting atmosphere. A blur of red and white came flying through the air as his friend fell back towards the landing platform, the projectile too high to hit him, but Keith’s bayard struck something above him blade-first. The purr in his head ceased, replaced with a pained yowl, and then it was gone entirely and darkness took him.

\---

“Lance? Lance!” firm hands shook him by the shoulders, and he tried to roll away with a groan. “Lance, can you hear me?”

“Cinco minutos más” he mumbled, and the person shaking him let out a breathy, unsteady laugh.

“He’s alright.” they said, and he squinted open his eyes. Pidge. Pidge was shaking him.

“Stop that.” he grunted, swatting at their arms. “I’m awake.”

“Then get up.” they said insistently. “Keith got the general to retreat, but we need to get Shiro back to the castle.”

“General?” Lance frowned, pushing himself into a mostly sitting position. “Wait, what happened to Shiro?”

Pidge’s eyes widened as they drew a quick, sharp breath. “I think we need to get you back to the castle, _now_.” they said, grabbing Lance’s arm and pulling him to his feet.

“Alright, alright.” Lance batted them away. “I’m coming.”

“Hurry.” Pidge insisted, grabbing him by the wrist and tugging him towards the end of the ledge nearest the shuttle. They let go once Lance activated his jetpack, following him through the air down to the landing pad, but latched back on the second he was firmly on the ground. “I got him, Hunk!” they called out, dragging him towards the open rear hatch of the shuttle. Keith and Shiro were laid out on the benches, both their suits torn and the flesh underneath seemingly scooped out.

“Holy shit, what happened?” he gasped.

“I’ll explain later.” Pidge said hurriedly. “Just, sit down. I gotta get up front with Hunk.” they activated the rear hatch as they left, and the lower half of Lance’s visor automatically deactivated once the air pressure reached normal levels. Keith and Shiro’s did the same, though their suits had been depressurised by the shots which pierced them, and as the ship shuddered through takeoff Lance looked between the Red and Black Paladins. Something about this felt familiar, but he couldn’t put his finger on what.

The trip back to the castle was short, but by the time Lance got off the shuttle his head was pounding. He didn’t argue when Pidge ushered him into a pod, just nodded and took his place to the right of Keith and Shiro. Hopefully when he came out his head would hurt less, and things would make sense.


End file.
